Congress discusses campaign strategy for Prez poll

New Delhi, June 21 (UNI) The All India Congress Committee (AICC) met here this evening to chalk out a campaign strategy for the UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, who resigned as Rajasthan Governor earlier in the day to contest the July 19 poll.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC office bearers and Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states attended the meeting at 10 Janpath residence of Ms Gandhi.

Ms Pratibha Patil also attended the meeting.

The proceedings of the meeting started with Ms Gandhi formally introducing Ms Patil to the AICC office bearers and Congress Chief Ministers.

The meeting discussed how the party's central leadership and the state leadership should coordinate to ensure that there is no cross voting among the party's MPs and MLas.

It also discussed various options in campaign strategy in the context of the desire expressed by President A P J Abdul Kalam to seek a second term if there was "certainty" in his winning and also the statement of the NDA issued subsequently.

UNI